FC Bayern Women begin the defence of their DFB Cup crown as they take on Borussia Dortmund in the first round proper on Monday. Kick-off at the Stadion Rote Erde is at 6.30pm CEST as Bayern and Dortmund meet for the first time in the women’s game.
Latest news from Bayern
After last weekend’s goalless draw with Carl Zeiss Jena, the double winners then hosted fellow Bundesliga leaders Freiburg on Tuesday. The Munich Frauen dominated throughout to claim a 4-0 win. As well as taking the outright lead in the table, the game also marked Giulia Gwinn’s return from injury. Now attentions turn to the defence of the DFB Cup, starting in Dortmund.
Opponent: Borussia Dortmund
After four straight promotions, Dortmund are competing in the third-tier Regionalliga West for the first time this season. Boasting nine points from four games and an impressive +17 goal difference, they sat second behind Köln’s reserves. BVB comfortably beat Deutz 3-0 last Sunday. However, the game was later awarded as a 2-0 win to Deutz due to an administrative error, dropping Borussia down to fourth in the table ahead of their debut in Germany’s national cup competition.
🔍 Find out more about Dortmund:
Team news
Head coach José Barcala remains without Barbara Dunst as she continues her recovery from a cruciate ligament layoff. Sarah Zadrazil suffered the same injury against Freiburg on Tuesday and will now be out for several months. Stine Ballisager will sit out this game due to workload management, but Magdalena Eriksson returns to the squad.
Pre-match quotes
José Barcala: “We’ll approach the game with maximum concentration and the greatest respect for our opponent. We know that every team can come unstuck when we don’t fully focus. We want to control the game from the start, have the ball, create chances and take them. That means we’ll do our usual thing even against a team from the third tier, which is being dominant, aggressive and always getting forward.”
Franziska Kett: “It's a special experience for us. I used to watch matches between Bayern and Dortmund as a kid. It’s Der Klassiker. We’re the favourites but definitely won’t underestimate our opponent. They’ll give their all, so it’s especially important for us to play to our strengths and control the game. We’re really looking forward to the challenge and want to make the best of it.”
Bayern will host Champions League holders Arsenal at the Allianz Arena in November:
Topics of this article